Coal Strike Deadlocked

Throughout the British Isles 1,000,000 coal miners continued resolutely on strike (TIME, May 10 et seq.).

The week saw the expiration of Premier Baldwin's time-limited offer of a coal subsidy to follow an agreement between the miners and owners. In the Commons, former Labor Premier Macdonald scathingly asked whether this offer had been intended as a bribe. Even this jibe did not deter Premier Baldwin from renewing his offer, this time without limit, in an effort to foster conciliation.

The only sign that peace negotiations might be resumed came when Evan Williams, chairman of the Mine Owners' Association, despatched a letter to Herbert Smith, President of the Miners' Federation, in which he suggested a small, informal, round-table miner-owner conference.

Miners' Federation President Smith received this letter at Brussels, Belgium, whither he had gone to solicit the fighting aid of the International Miners' Federation. He manifested no haste to return to London.